War Is Over
by Inanis Incedeco
Summary: Leliana joins in on celebrations around Skyhold, and receives news she's been dying for.


_Author's Note: Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Yule/whatever you want. This is going to be my present to you guys, so I hope you enjoy. Probably the last thing I'll post this year._

 _I set this on the solstice for two reasons: One, that's the day of Yule, which is the holiday that I celebrate in this season, so I know the most, and two, that it's just a nice, secular day that everyone can enjoy. Don't read too much into it._

 _This is set in the same continuity as Judge, Jury and Executioner. You don't need to read that one to understand this, though it does put things into context. Know that Leliana who was romanced by the Warden has an adopted daughter named Grace, and Cantis (The Inquisitor) was once a Red Templar before the Breach, and was married._

* * *

Leliana woke up lonely. Her bed was empty, her lover still gone.

She sighed quietly, sitting up and dressing herself in simple leathers, forgoing the scale and chain armour, at least for the moment. Outside the Rookery was absolutely deserted, as was the library beneath it, and the streets of Skyhold our the window. She raised her eyebrows a moment, wondering what had happened, but then nodded as she realized. Of course. It was the winter solstice, the longest day of the year, and a day to celebrate with feasts and love.

A smile crossed her face as she found the rest of the Inner Circle sitting in Josephine's office, a fire crackling and roaring in the fireplace. Josephine was sitting with her head rested on Cantis' shoulder, with Gracie sitting at her heels. Hawke and Merrill sat in front of the fireplace, the tiny Dalish on the Champion's lap. Everyone else had formed a half circle around them, laughing and shouting at one another, chocolates and candies sitting in the middle of them for everyone to take.

"Mama!" Grace cried, standing and running over to her mother. Leliana smiled and knelt, taking her daughter into her arms and giving a loud laugh, hoisting Grace into the air when she stood.

"Hey baby." Leliana smiled, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Sorry I'm late."

"We wanted to let you sleep." Gracie was positively beaming, the largest smile on her face as her eyes sparkled. "You work so hard, mama. You needed a break."

"You're so sweet." Leliana smiled, walking over and sitting to where Grace had been sitting and took a seat, smiling at the sight of Josephine and her Inquisitor being so snuggled together, the ambassador curling her legs in slightly to give her a spot in front of the fire that kept the cold away.

Looking out the window, it was snowing a heavy blizzard outside, and she was grateful for the fire. She pulled Gracie closer, giving her a big kiss on the cheek while she grabbed for more chocolates, eliciting an adorable embarrassed groan from her daughter. Today was a day to be grateful, and if there was anything in the world she had to be grateful for, it was this little one in her arms.

As it turned out, she found she had missed quite a bit, having apparently slept all morning. Josephine and the Red Templar turned Inquisitor had spent weeks thinking of gifts to give to the Inquistion's best people. Blackwall had been given a baby Griffon from the Warden's fortress. Dorian, a hand sewn robe in the newest fashions, straight from Tevinter. The Iron Bull was given an axe that had once belonged to the last Arishok, a scavenged gift from Kirkwall. Ser had, oddly enough, been given large amounts of alcohol and odd coloured candy that, when she offered a taste, almost made Leliana choke. Josephine repeatedly assured her that it was what Sera had requested specifically.

Cassandra was given a copy of _The Search for the True Prophet_ , specifically one that had belonged to Lord Seeker Lambert. Solas' gift had actually come from Merrill, an elven knife called an Arulin'holm from the time of arlathan. Varric had been given several Thetras artefacts that had been sold by his brothers back in Kirkwall, something he had seemed deeply appreciative of. Vivienne had been given a lifetime pass to the finest spa in Orlais, as well as a new designer staff. And finally Cullen had been given an annotated and illustrated copy of the Chant of Light, along with a detoxification kit for Lyrium.

"Oh!" Gracie cried out after Josephine had finished telling the gifts to Leliana, mouth stuffed witch candied treats. "Mama! I just remembered I have a present for you!"

"You do?" Leliana was taken aback by that. "Oh, sweetheart, you didn't have to do that."

"I know." She smiled, eyes sparkling in happiness. "But I wanted to get you something. Now, close your eyes and hold out your hands."

Smiling widely, Leliana complied. Something warm and soft found her outheld hands, a fuzzy fabric that was warm to touch. When told to, she opened her eyes and found herself staring at a hand woven scarf, with four different symbols on it's surface: One was the sunburst of the Chantry, another the flag symbol of the Inquisition. Another was that of the Grey Wardens, and finally of the Amells, the family Leliana had married into.

"I thought you could wear it when you're working." Grace cooed, looking positively giddy with excitement. "So I can always be with you, even when you're busy."

"Gracie, I love it!" Leliana's heart swelled in her heart, leaping bounds in her chest has she hugged her daughter closely. What a thoughtful, sweet gift! Maybe not eh best she had ever received, who could expect such a thing from a child, but it was incredible, and her heart grew just a little in her chest. "Did you make it yourself?"

Grace looked down sheepishly. "Aunt Josie helped."

"Then thank you both." Josephine smiled when Leliana looked at her, and then she treated Grace to a big kiss on the forehead. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, mama." She threw her arms around her mother, holding her as close as she could. "I… want you to know that I'm always glad that you're my mom. That you and mommy found me that day."

Leliana smiled a little wider, a little sadder at the memory at what had happened to her now daughter, but also a little more joyful that their lives were now forever intertwined, that this sweet, loving child had been given a second chance at having a family that loved her with all of their hearts.

"I love you, honey. And I always will."

As she said so, the door to the office was opened, and a rather worried looking scout came hurried into the room.

"Madame Nightingale!" He called. "There's someone here to see you, says he has a package for you."

Leliana sighed. Of course. They couldn't have more than a few minutes of peace. Then again if it was only a package, perhaps it wouldn't be that much of an intrusion, but still.

Behind him entered a young man wearing a Grey Warden's uniform, something that took her aback. The Wardens were still missing, all of the ones they were aware of at Adamant, the siege of which was still being planned. In his hands he held a chest.

"My Commander told me to bring this to you, Lady Nightingale." He spoke in a worried, quick way of talking, looking paranoid of being in a place that had so openly defied the Wardens after discovering what they had been up to. "Your eyes only she said, no one else was to see it."

"Name." She said, moving Grace from her lap and standing. "Who's your commander?"

"Warden-Commander of the Grey in Ferelden, Lady Amell. She said it was for your eyes only. Said it was to arrive on this day, not one sooner or later."

Lady Amell? Then it was from…

"Very good." She said, taking the chest from him and setting it down, opening it's latch. Inside was three letters, two of which had Leliana's name finely etched onto the front in a neat, fancy handwriting style that told Leliana it had to be from her wife, the third being addressed to Grace.

 _Leliana,_ The first letter read. _I miss you so much. I want you to know that I tried very hard to get to Skyhold this Solstice, but Avernus told me that the Blight had become infectious from me. I'm so sorry, love. I couldn't get Gracie sick with this damned disease, much as I wanted to see you both. I'm so sorry. So I thought I would send you this instead. One of the Letters is for Gracie. I hope she doesn't resent me being gone too much, doesn't feel abandoned. I'm trying to get home, love. I am. The other letter is for you. It's, erm, not the kind you should read out loud. Let's just say I miss you very much._

 _Also in here is a gift for you, something that I had specially made. I hope you still like them, even though I get it for you every anniversary. And I've also included a more… practical gift. There's a map of Adamant Fortress in there, and it highlights some of the structural weaknesses. Don't worry, love, I know all about what the Warden's are doing there, and I encourage whatever the Inquisition's going to do. I don't know what Clarel is thinking, but there's no excuse for this level of madness. I've sent to Command to relieve her of her command, but the whole world's in disarray right now, and I'm not even sure they got my letter._

 _I love you with all of my heart, and I hope that I haven't been gone so long as to have made a rift our relationship. Give Gracie a big hug for me, and have a wonderful solstice, my love. I will come to Skyhold as soon as I can, I promise. The Architect has gotten into contact, and I think we'll make a breakthrough in a cure for the Calling soon. I'll get you updates if I can._

 _Your ever loving wife, -Mara._

Inside of the box was everything she had promised, and the gift for Leliana took her breath away. Inside was a single Andraste's Grace, magically preserved to live forever, just like her love for her Warden.

"Mama?" Grace asked after Leliana had been turned for a long time, a tear rolling down her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Leliana nodded, trying not to cry even as her voice shook. "Everything is absolutely wonderful, sweetie." She tucked the flower behind her ear, heart fluttering as childhood memories of her own mother arose from the scent, and picked up her daughter, hugging her as close as she could. "It's… a letter from mommy. She's alright, sweetheart, and she asked me to tell you that she loves you, with all of her heart."

"Is… is she coming here?" Grace asked with awe in her voice, and the hope that filled it almost made Leliana feel guilty for having to stamp it out, at least a little.

"Not you." She shook her head, hoisting Grace so that her head could rest on her shoulder. "Mommy's… still very sick, and she couldn't come so she wouldn't make you sick. But she said that… that her doctor made a breakthrough, that one of the best doctors in the whole world is coming to help her get better."

Grace's smile faded a little, but it still remained. She missed her other mother terribly, but there was still hope that she could see her one day. That it wouldn't be like her first parents who had simply given up on her. That the whole reason her mother was gone was because she wouldn't leave Grace on this planet without a loving family.

As Leliana sat back down with Grace, determining to give the letter to her later, Cantis stood up, moving Josephine's head from his shoulder to address everyone.

"I..." He began, a heavy heart sinking. This holiday hurt more than he had thought it would. It was his first one with the Inquisition as a whole. No longer was he just a criminal, or their leader, or a soldier. He was now their family, allowed to be happy on casual days, to live a life where every last day wasn't a new war. And that scared him, that his old life truly was over, and a new one was utterly complete.

He cleared his throat as everyone stared at him, trying not to get choked up. "I wanted to thank you all. For everything. For everything you all have done for me since before the Breach in the sky was opened. This is a day about peace, goodwill towards our fellow animals, a day where we all stop and marvel at the fact that we've lived another year, and… and remember those who didn't." He cleared his throat, memories of his husband surfacing once more. "I used… used to ignore dreams. Living as a soldier, I figured that dreams hold no value in a war, or in life. That thinking about what lay above your head was foolish when misery was everywhere around you. Lost in the dark, we surrendered our minds and forgot who we were, where we came from, what we are. But… thanks to the second chance you all have given me, I've now woken up once more. That those dreams remind us that we all have a choice. To stand instead of kneel, to oppose instead of obey, to live instead of simply existing. I just… thank you. All of you."

And at that, he sat down once more, and the others all smiled up at him. They all knew what he had endured, of the past burned away in blood. But now there was a new life, a new love, a new family of brothers.

* * *

 **Later that night, at Soldier's Peak**

Mara sighed heavily, staring out the window in the blizzard of the mountains. She could only hope that her messenger had arrived properly, that Leliana and Grace had received their gifts. She wondered if Leliana missed her as much as she did. She wanted for nothing more than to grab a horse from the stables and ride to Skyhold, to return to her loving family.

But whenever those thoughts would come back, she would look at the black, swollen bubo that lay on her arm, and would simply nod sadly. She couldn't go back, not yet.

"I love you." She whispered into the wind, hoping it would carry her words to her family. She would come home, come hell or high water.


End file.
